Human smugglers sentenced to 10 years, 6 years after family froze to death at Manitoba-U.S. border [Video]

Two human smugglers convicted after a family of four froze to death trying to cross the border from Manitoba into the U.S. have been sentenced, with the ringleader of the plot set to spend just over 10 years in prison.

U.S. federal prosecutors had recommended nearly 20 years for Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, and nearly 11 years for the driver who was supposed to pick them up, Steve Anthony Shand.

Shand has been sentenced to six and a half years, to be followed by supervised release.

“The crime in many respects is extraordinary because it did result in the unimaginable death of four individuals, including two children,” U.S. District Judge John Tunheim said. “These were deaths that were clearly avoidable.”

Defence attorney Thomas Leinenweber told the court before sentencing that Patel maintains his innocence and argued he was no more than a “low man on the totem pole.” He asked for …